Overview

Political Animals offers a unique study and perspective on the relationship between politics and the art found in American zoos and aquariums. Jesse Donahue and Erik Trump examine the ways that zoos and aquariums have successfully served as sculptural gardens for the masses and have incorporated art and architecture that convey political messages about both the patrons and the animals. This book demonstrates how art has been used for a range of economic and political purposes including providing jobs, a medium to reach out to minority interest groups, a fundraising tool, and a surrogate for the animals themselves. Donahue and Trump skillfully analyze and compare zoos to other areas of public art to highlight the calculated strategies on the part of the zoos that have incorporated a range of artistic styles for different audiences. Incorporating photographs of zoo and aquarium art from around the country, Political Animals is an exciting and captivating text for the mind and eye.

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9780739111208

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Reviews

Overlooked by scholars but looked over daily by visitors, artworks in the nation's zoos and aquariums reveal Americans' evolving understanding of animals and themselves. In this much welcome contribution, authors Jesse Donahue and Erik Trump examine the means by which public art at the public zoo testifies not only humans' relationship to other animals. Such art engages political debates about the nature of democracy and aesthetics, about scientific research and religious belief, and, finally, about animal rights and the nature of Nature itself. Political Animals extends current discussions of the role of the arts in a democracy as it critically examines Americans' stewardship of the animal kingdom.--Shirley Teresa Wajda

Political Animals is a thorough history of how one cultural institution has negotiated the relationship between its public and its collection, using art as a mediator. -- Harry Sheff * Public Art Review * Overlooked by scholars but looked over daily by visitors, artworks in the nation's zoos and aquariums reveal Americans' evolving understanding of animals and themselves. In this much welcome contribution, authors Jesse Donahue and Erik Trump examine the means by which public art at the public zoo testifies not only humans' relationship to other animals. Such art engages political debates about the nature of democracy and aesthetics, about scientific research and religious belief, and, finally, about animal rights and the nature of Nature itself. Political Animals extends current discussions of the role of the arts in a democracy as it critically examines Americans' stewardship of the animal kingdom... -- Shirley Teresa Wajda, Kent State University Overlooked by scholars but looked over daily by visitors, artworks in the nation's zoos and aquariums reveal Americans' evolving understanding of animals and themselves. In this much welcome contribution, authors Jesse Donahue and Erik Trump examine the means by which public art at the public zoo testifies not only humans' relationship to other animals. Such art engages political debates about the nature of democracy and aesthetics, about scientific research and religious belief, and, finally, about animal rights and the nature of Nature itself. Political Animals extends current discussions of the role of the arts in a democracy as it critically examines Americans' stewardship of the animal kingdom. -- Shirley Teresa Wajda, Kent State University

Political Animals is a thorough history of how one cultural institution has negotiated the relationship between its public and its collection, using art as a mediator. -- Harry Sheff Public Art Review Overlooked by scholars but looked over daily by visitors, artworks in the nation's zoos and aquariums reveal Americans' evolving understanding of animals and themselves. In this much welcome contribution, authors Jesse Donahue and Erik Trump examine the means by which public art at the public zoo testifies not only humans' relationship to other animals. Such art engages political debates about the nature of democracy and aesthetics, about scientific research and religious belief, and, finally, about animal rights and the nature of Nature itself. Political Animals extends current discussions of the role of the arts in a democracy as it critically examines Americans' stewardship of the animal kingdom... -- Shirley Teresa Wajda Overlooked by scholars but looked over daily by visitors, artworks in the nation's zoos and aquariums reveal Americans' evolving understanding of animals and themselves. In this much welcome contribution, authors Jesse Donahue and Erik Trump examine the means by which public art at the public zoo testifies not only humans' relationship to other animals. Such art engages political debates about the nature of democracy and aesthetics, about scientific research and religious belief, and, finally, about animal rights and the nature of Nature itself. Political Animals extends current discussions of the role of the arts in a democracy as it critically examines Americans' stewardship of the animal kingdom. -- Shirley Teresa Wajda

Author Information

Jessie Donahue and Erik Trump are both associate professors of political science at Saginaw Valley State University.

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